Washing machine



Nov. l, 1927.

W. W. WALKER WASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed AuE. 5, 1925 Nov. 1, 1927. f LM'LSQB w. w. WALKER A WASHING MACHINE,

Filed Aue'.. 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WYW'. Wal/cer m1 "A KW7, GHOUIUU Patented Nov. l, 19217.

UNITED STATES PAT yWAILTIEIR W. WALKER, F FORT RINGGOLD, TEXAS.l

WASHING MACHINE.

Application mea August 3, leas. serial No. '474850. l

This invention relates to an improved washing machine particularly adapted for use by laundries or the like and seeks, among other objects, to provide a device of this character which will effect the cleaning of clothes or other fabrics withoutv injury thereto.

The invention seeks, as a further object,

to provide a machine embodying means for forcing steam through the clothes for heating the clothes and loosening any dirt thereon.

And the 'invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide a washing machine emj bodying a plurality of plungers for agitating the clothes and wherein the plungers will be equipped with suction cups which, when the plungers are in operation, will tend to draw the Water and steam through the clothes.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation. of my im proved washing machine, parts being broken 2: away and illustrated in section.

Figure 2 is an end elevation.

Figure 3 is a plan view, parts being broken away and shown in section.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the machine.

. Figure 5 is a. det-ail section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ an oblong tub 1() which may be of Woodor other suitable material and' nor mally closing the tub is a cover 11. The tub is provided with suitable legs 12, and resting upon the bottom wall of the tub, as shown in Figure 4, is a substantially vcon- 'n Vex bottom plate 13, secured at its longitudinal margins to said bottom wall by suitable fastening devices 14. The convex i side of the plate is presented upwardlyand, as brought out in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, said plate'is provided throughout its area with small closely spaced openings. Entering the tub at one end thereof is an inlet terminating in a T 16 to which is connected a hot water supply vpipe 17 and a cold water supply pipe 18. Interposed in these pipes are valves, as conventionally illustrated at 19. Thus, as will be readily appreciated, the tub may be lled to the necessary level with water of the desired temperature. Fixed to the bottom wall of the tub is a centrally located outlet pipeI 20 carrying a shut-0E valve 21 so that the tub l `may be drained when desired. Leading into the tub above the water inlet 15 is a steam supply pipe 22 in which is interposed a shut oil' valve 23, and connected to the inner end of said pipe is a steamer 24 resting upon the bottom plate 13. As shown in Figure 3, the steamer 24 extends throughout the major portion of the length of the tub and is provided with parallel side portions which are connected by an intervening V-shaped portion, and securing the 4said portions of the steamer to the bottom plate are clamps 25. The portions of the steamer are provided at suitable intervals with relatively small openings so that when the valve 23 is open, jets of steam will'issue through said openings.

Rigidly fixed above and in the rear of the tub l0, as shown in Figuresl and 2, is ahorizontally disposed bar 26 and fixed to said bar are spaced yokes 27 having stems 28 extending freely through the bar. Screwed on said stems to abut opposite sides of the bar are nuts 29 rigidly connecting the yokes with the bar and, as will be seen these nuts may be turned for adjusting the yokes relative to the bar. Pivotally connected at their inner ends with said yokes are rocker arms 30 and pivotally connected with said arms are plunger rods 31. Connected to the upper ends of said rods are yokes 32 carrying sockets 33 screwed over the upper ends of the rods, and extending through the yokes of all of the rods and ,through the arms 30 is a rod 34 pivotally connecting the yokes with said arms. As shown in Figure 1, the rod 34 is equipped at its ends with nuts 35 securing the rod in position While, as shown in Figure 2, the yokes 32 are provided with spaced openings Lfor selectively receiving the rod so that the yokes may be adjusted relative to the arms. Formed in the lid 11 of the tub 10, from the front edge thereof, are transversely eX- tending slots 36, the inner ends of which freely receive the rods 31 therethrough, and fixed to the lower ends of said rods are substantially hemispherical apertured plunger cups 37.

Erected above the bar 26 is a platform 38, and extending adjacent the platform, as shown in Figure 1', are beams 39. Fixed to said beams are alined bearings and journaled through; said bearings is a shaft 41 equipped at its ends with wheels 42, from which project crank pins 43. The

shaft 41 also carries a pulley 44 and mounted upon theplatform 38 is a suitable motor 45 connected with the pulley 44 by a belt 46. In' the present instance, I have shown an electric motor but, of course, a motor of other type may be employed. Extending through the free ends of all of the arms 30 is a cross rod 47 to which are removably fixed pairs of collars 47 at opposite sides of the arms, and extending between the ends of said rod and the crank pins 43 of the wheels 42 are pitmen 48. Thus, as will be seen, when the motor is in operation, the plunger rods 31 will be reciprocated i'n unison.

Fixed to the lid 11 of the tub at opposite sides of the slots 36 are pairs of cleats 49 and slidable between said pairs of cleats are cover plates 50 overlying said slots. Fixed to the lid at the inner ends of said slots, as best seen in Figure 5, are gland members 51, and fixed to the inner ends of said plates are similar gland members 52 mating with the former members to freely encircle the rods 31. The members 51 and 52 are channel shaped in cross section and secured therein are mating packing sections 53 snugly 'fitting the rods. The slots 36 are thus closed throughout their length while closed joints are also provided between the rods 31 and the lid. -However, by withdrawing the plates 50, the lid 11 may be" slid rearwardly from over the tub. Secured to the side Walls of the tub near 'the upper corners thereof are swingingly mounted hooks 54 engageable over the lid for tightly binding the lid upon the tub in closed position. 'Ihus, steamadmitted to the tub cannot escape.

In use, the clothes or other articles to be washed are placed in the tub, when water is admitted through the inlet 15 to submerge Nthe clothes. The lid 11 is then applied for closing the tub, when the motor 45 is set in operation for reciprocating the plunger rods 31. Coincidently, the valve 23 is opened for admitting steam under pressure to the steamer 24. Thus, as will be seen, jets of steam will be forced through the clothes for heating the clothes and loosening any dirt thereon. Coincidently, water will, as the plunger cups 37 descend, be forced downwardly through the clothes by said cups while, as the plunger cups ascend, water will be sucked upwardly through the clothes, the bottom plate 13 supporting the clothes above the bottom4 wall of the tub so that the water and steam may freely circulate therethrough. As will be appreciated, the clothes will thus be readily cleaned.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

l. A washing machine including rocker arms each pivoted at one end to a fixed support above and free of the tub, a driven shaft above the free ends of the rocker arms, wheels on said shaft, 'a cross rod connecting the free ends of said arms to swing in unison, and pitmen extending between said wheels and said rod for rocking the arms to reciprocate the washer elements.

2. A washing machine including atub, a plunger rod extending into the tub, means for reciprocating said rod, a lid slidably resting upon the upper edges ot' the tub and provided with an open ended slot to accommodate said rod whereby the lid may be removed, cleats secured to the lid at opposite sides of said slot, a plate slidable between said cleats and overlying the slot, a gland member fixed to the lid at the inner end of the slot,-a companion gland member carried by said plate and mating with the former member to embrace said rod, and mating packing sections carried by said member to snugly fit about the rod.

In testimony whereof I athx my signature.

WALTER w. WALKER. '[L. 8.] 

